Noah Hill continues his solo journey with the yearning romance of “Bye Baby”

Noah Hill, best known as one-fifth of Australian disco pop act Parcels, is unveiling music markedly different to his band’s groove-based sound. It’s deliberately folkier, more acoustic, and unplugged, with no funky riffs for his gracious voice to hide behind. This intimate register is closer to his formative songwriting before Parcels, with some tracks written when he was 18. When Hill’s long-time yet patchy relationship of eight years came to an end, and other turmoil emerged in his life, he needed an outlet to process that devastation.

The timing fell into place for him to express himself entirely as a soloist. That is the role of “Bye Baby”, the second teaser of Hill’s debut solo album, Ok ok now, due 4 September via Because Music. Self-described as “nailing the essence of the record,” the sparse number rises to a climax of Hill’s soulful harmonisations embodying the “regret, longing, and uncertainty around whether you want to be doing the relationship anymore.”

“There’s this constant push and pull between the decisions you’ve made, questioning yourself, and the person and the relationship,” Hill shares. “At the same time, there’s all this love wrapped up inside of it.” Going solo took so long because the capacity for it wasn’t there. Hill was considering it since COVID, even shelving a half-finished project, but Parcels came first. His folkier music, which he even shared with his bandmates, just didn’t fit the band. “In the early stages of the band, you’re just 100% committed to it. It is a project, and getting it off the ground was the sole focus for all five of us for 10 years.” So, when Parcels finished their latest 2025 record, LOVED, they had an opening to take time off to find space for themselves individually.

Hill has especially done so with his new reflective music, which he’s worked incredibly hard on, though he “didn’t even consider” the learning curve of navigating the spotlight on his own. “I knew the experience of making something and putting it out [as a band]. Sometimes it feels anticlimactic, or you feel sad after, or you’re so stressed because you care,” he explains. “I was anticipating this feeling like that, but I have gone through a totally different process, which is way more intense. It’s much more difficult. It’s really daunting. I feel really vulnerable and seen.”

He’s vulnerable in multiple ways – publicly healing from his fractured relationship, and operating as a solo artist. “I totally understand now why emerging solo artists just give up or don’t do this,” Hill empathises. “I have a lot of sympathy because it is a big thing to do, going out on your own.” The positive reception he’s already received has been nothing short of assuring. His first single, “It’s All in My Head”, was embraced with open arms by fans and the press, with no concerns of him leaving Parcels – he reiterates he’s staying with the band.

What’s notable is how the personal subject matter has resonated with his audience. “The more personal and intimate you get, the more you express yourself and the more open you are,” Hill says. “You let people in, and therefore, people lean in; they connect with it. That’s been a big part of the process for me. Just be honest and open and say those things.” Some songs are even his “sadistic way” of reaching out to who they’re about: “Sometimes I wrote the record specifically with this person in mind. I imagined them actually listening to it and how they would feel.”

Hill is also playing shows in Australia, the US, the UK, and Europe, backed by drums and keys. The intense mental and physical preparation stems from the onus of how they go being on him, he’s no longer shielded by his role as one member of a large band. “I’m quite nervous. I haven’t been nervous like this about anything for 10 years,” Hill admits. “It really feels like starting again. It feels even more nerve-wracking or intense than the first Parcels shows, even the big opportunities we were getting.”

Ultimately, Hill’s solo journey was prompted by his desire to express himself creatively. “There are so many good songwriters in the band that it was hard to get my true heart in music through that,” he says. “We were so groove-based, but I could never get the intensity with which I sometimes feel about things in that music.” Proving to himself that he can successfully go solo is also his goal: “Maybe you are searching for some validation, understanding, or connection in what you’re doing, so it all makes sense. It’s nice when people like the music.” The courage Hill has continued to express, then, illustrates a remarkable growth and healing.